Our History
The David B. Roche Vol. Fire Company was formed in 1960. We are 100% Volunteer Fire Company that proudly serves our community with fire protection on land and waterways. We respond out of three Firehouses and staff the following apparatus. Three engines, one ladder, one rescue, one brush truck, one dive truck and two boats. We are one of three dive teams that respond throughout Rockland County. We cover over 17 square miles and average 220 incidents a year.
Going back into history, in 1954-1955, A group of resident taxpayers lead by and not only David Roche was Edward Thiell, Arthur Dresdner, George Rusciano and Ernest Stark who wanted to organize a fire protection district. The approach the Town Board of Haverstraw and protested and pointed out that surrounding departments (who had a contract for fire protection in the town) only responded to two alarms in the prior year contracted with the town. They then asked the town board to give them time and the opportunity to present facts and figures of fire protection costs and report back to them at the next town meeting. Permission was granted and the use of the old schoolhouse in Thiells was offered for meetings where they could discuss and organize their Fire District.
The Fire Company was then organized, prepared and secured petitions representing 65% of the resident taxpayers to change the district from a fire protection district to a Fire District. 5 resident taxpayers would serve as commissioners. This successfully passed the town board all in accordance with provisions of the town government laws of the state of New York. Before negotiations were complete Mr. Roche passed away thus the name David B. Roche Volunteer Fire Company was given in his Honor on September 15th, 1960.
The commissioners and company were instrumental in securing a parcel of land on West Ramapo Rd. for a possible site for a firehouse (at no cost to the taxpayer) (New York Trap Rock Corporation May 4th, 1960.) On March 16, 1960, the Salesian Society Incorporated with the Thiells Roseville Fire District was granted a parcel of land on the southerly side of Hammond Rd. for the sum of $1.00. The territory in which its operations are to be conducted is the Thiells-Roseville Fire District, a fire district established by a resolution of the Haverstraw Town Board on January 11th, 1960.
The Thiells Roseville Fire District is comprised of two sections in the unincorporated area of the Town of Haverstraw. The Thiells section covers the unincorporated area of the Town of Haverstraw which is bounded on the east by the boundary of the Village of West Haverstraw on the south boundary line of the Town of Haverstraw and the Town of Clarkstown, on the west by the boundary line of the Moleston Fire District. The Thiells section also borders the north side of the Town of Haverstraw which boundaries the Town of Stony Point. The Thiells Section also covered the lands of Letchworth Village, an institution owned and operated by the State of New York.
The Roseville section is the area in the unincorporated area of the Town of Haverstraw which is bounded on the east by the Hudson River, on the south by the boundary line of the Village of Haverstraw on the west by the boundary line of the village of West Haverstraw and on the north by the boundary line of the Town of Haverstraw and the Town of Stony Point.
